Fuel feeding system for heaters



March 1l, 1952 5 1 BUDLANE 2,588,348

FUEL FEEDING .SYSTEM FOR HEATERS Filed Feb. l, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l BY www March 11, 1952 s. J. BUDLANE 2,588,348

FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR HEATERS Filed Feb. l, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. Q/Vfy d EUDL/VE BY www March 11, 1952 s. J. BUDLANE 2,588,348

FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR HEATERS Filed Feb. l, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. STQNLEVJ. BUDLNE www March 11, 1952 5 1 BUDLANE 2,588,348

FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR HEATERS Filed Feb. l. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. ll, 1952 U NITED .s TAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

FUEL FEEDING SYSTERLEORHEATERS Stanley -J. Hudla'ne, Chicago, `Ill., assigner -to Motorola, lne., azcorporation of Illinois` ApplicationFebruary 1, 19216,.fSerialfNm` 644,693.

'ers .used'in automobiles and for 'general portable use` must be capable ofzzproducing asmallamount oiheat in relatively cool weather Vand v'also be able toprooluce alarge amount of heat in extremelycold weather. 'The heater must, of course,

4be designed to produce the maximum theatrequired. and such `design 'has normally Aresulted in heaters which are veryineicien't and operate unsatisfactorily when producing .a r small :amount of heat.

.Attempts have been made to provide an internal combustion heater'vvhich'will operateefciently over a `wide range `of heat outputs -by providing a plurality of burners "in the heating device, 4one or morel of which .may operate at any time to provide a varying heat output'with each individual burner vbeing variable r`onlyover a small range. "Multi-lburnerheating unit'shave been .used in largeheating systems .Where complicated systems may be -used, but have `not been .adapted "for vuse as "automobile foriportajbl'e heaters and are not `suitable forsu'ch use merely by yreduction Vin size. Furthermore, 'efforts have been made to provide variable heat 'outptitby maintainngburning at amaximum but varying theheatedair delivery"`from 'the'heaten "However, none Yof these expedients have provided the desired range in heat delivery nor -d'esired-ie'fciencyofzoperaticn atany'range. I

'It is 'also "desirable 4in an `automobile I or portable h'eatngsystem to provide automaticd means forproviding the temperaturedesired. Noflcom mercially `satisfactory `means has vlbeen provided to accomplish this y'in Ythe Aprior devices.

'It is an 'object f ofthis `vinvention, therefore, 'Ito provide Aan internal combustion`heater1which will operate efficiently over -a wide range and variation ofheat outputs. 'Itfisa further object"offthisinventiomto2pmvfdeautomatic means "for varying 'the fheatroutputglfrom a heater `in--accordance with the exist ing 'temperature of' the "air in the-:space "to l-be heated. A Y i fuel-.feeding system;

.6 Claims. (01.*2536-410) "Itis an vadditional'bject of 'this'invention "to provide in an"internal"co1nbustion heating unit, means ".for selectively 'feeding fuel to the burners o'f a multi-burner heating unit to provide the amount .of heat required "to heat "a spaoetota Ipredetermined temperature.

A feature of this invention'islthe provisionin .an .internal combustion heating system *having ga plurality of 'burners.` of an automatic `control System forproviding fuel to .one ormore'of the burners, depending uponY the amount `of heatfrequired.

Aiurther Afeature of this invention is `the provision in an .internal combustion "heating sys.-

tem having apluralityof burners, of anautc matic control system having a temperaturefresponsivemeans positioned Vto be responsiveto the .temperatureof .the intake air ofthe heater connected to.a.se1ector system 'for operating valve means .to provide 'fuel .to one or more of the burners y.in accordance with the .temperature of the 4.intake air.

.A stilliurtherieature of this iinventionis the provision of .a vitemperature-foperated system for controlling `the vflow of .fuel to the burners of a multi-burner liquid fuel .burning heater to 'heat .a `space .to va :predetermined .temperature including .a .temperature .responsive unit 4whichfis re.. vsponsive tto .the vtemperature `of lthe intake .air of .the .heater and in which lthe range of tern- 4peratures to which .the .unit is .responsive can be varied -to provide the .temperature desired.

.Further objects, features, and advantages of my invention willbe apparent from a vconsideration of thefollowing .description .taken .in connection with the accompanying drawings .in which:

Fig. .1 vis ,a `.perspective .view .showing `the .association of the fuelffeeding system Withaninternal combustion vheating unit;

Fig. .2 .is va...cross-sectional .view 4showing the operation .of one.embodiment .of `the fuelmfee'ding :system according .to vthe invention; y vF g.f3 is a Vcrossesectional viewalong .thelines variation `of .the .t'uelvfeeding system Vaceordingto lfamforu:iircnlatilla;.airitotbe.heated over the.; combustion chamber, and a fuel pump for providing fuel for the burners. rIhe fuel-feeding system may be applied to many types of internal combustion heaters, but I have applied this system to the heater structure as disclosed in the patent of John A. Richards, Patent Number 2,492,654, issued December 27, 1949. The fuel-feeding system includes a selector unit having a fuel chamber therein with an inlet and a plurality of outlets connected to the burners in the combustion chamber. Valve means are provided for the outlets so that fuel may be fed to one or more burners at any given time. The system further includes a temperature responsive unit having a bellows-enclosed chamber containing a iiuid havingl a high temperature coeiiicientof expansion, causing expansion or contraction of the bellows, depending upon the temperature of thesurrounding air. The bellows is positioned in the intake air stream of the heater so that it will be responsive to the air being received from the space to be heated. An electrical heating element is provided in the temperature responsive unit having a manual variable control for regulating the amount of energy supplied thereto. The tempera'ture responsive unit is also responsive to the temperature of the heating element so that 'by varying vthe heat of the element the range over which the temperature responsive device operates may be varied as desired. The temperature res ponsive unit may be connected to the selector unit by mechanical means or may be used .to control a valve regulating the pressure of thefuel fed to the selector unit with the selector'unit operating to feed fuel to one or more outlets in .7'.

accordance with the pressure of the fuel supply thereto.

I Referring now to the drawings, in Figi is shown a heater I having a C-shaped combustion chamber I I with a plurality of burners positioned therein,`a motor I2 is positioned in the space surrounded by the combustion chamber II and drives a fan I3 for circulating air to be heated around the combustion chamber. A second fan (not'shown) positioned at the other end ofthe motor provides a suction for drawing air through the combustion ghamber and exhausting it from the heater. The fuel pump I5 is also driven by themotor"l2 and provides fuel for the burners.

Openings AI6 are provided in the casing for the heaterv for-the intake of air to be heated, and openings I1 are provided for discharge of heated air. The fuel-feeding system consists of a pressure regulator I8, a selector f-I9, and a temperature responsive unit 20. As shown in Fig. 1, the pressure regulator is positioned inthe fuel line between the pump and the selector to insure' that fuel is fed to the selector at a substantially constant pressure. The selector is positioned ad-` jacent -to the combustion chamber and provides fuel to the burners therein. The temperature responsive-unit is positioned in the intake air passage and has openings to permit the air coming into the heaterl to surround the temperature responsive element therein. I f

" Figs. 2 and 3 show the details-of the fuel-feeding system. The pressure regulator `I8includes and -23 which cooperate t'o support adiaphragm V24 therebetween.l A chamber 25 is vformed'bevtween -the upper surfaceo'f the diaphragm k24,

a base member 2l andpressed 'metal portions 22 ing 2 Ia and has a slot 21a permitting fuel to pass therethrough. The valve 21 has a point which rests against the diaphragm stud 28 and causes the valve to be actuated by movement of the diaphragm. A spring 29 is positioned between the diaphragm and a threaded end member 30 which may be adjusted relative to housing 23 to provide the pressure desired against the diaphragm. A spring 3I is provided to hold the valve against the diaphgram and is held in place by the insert 32 threaded in base member 2|. A second opening 2lb is provided in the base member connecting the chamber 25 with the fuel line 33 from the pressure regulator to the selector I9.

The springs operating on the valve and diaphragm assembly are adjusted so that the Valve is normally raised in the opening 2Ia permitting fuel to liow into the chamber 25. The fuel will then flow from chamber 25 through fuel line 33 to the selector. If more fuel is being provided than is required by the selector, pressure will be built up in chamber 25 causing the diaphragm to move downward and the valve to close the opening 2Ia. By adjustment of the end member '.39 the pressure of spring 29 on the diaphgram can be made such that the diaphragm will respond tothe pressure desired. In actual practice the spring is adjusted to cause the diaphgram to operate to close the valve at a pressure of 6 inches of water or thereabouts.

The selector I9 is composed of a base member 35 and a cap member 36 having a' diaphragm 31 positioned therebetween. The base member vhas, a fitting 38 for connecting thereto the fuel line 33 from the pressure regulator. The fuel line is connected to a chamber 39 in the selector unit between the base member 35 and the diaphragm 31 by a passage 35a in the base member. The base member has an annular recess therein in which an insert 40 is placed, having four openings 48a. as shown in Fig. 3. The insert also has an opening 4Gb therein for a plunger 4| which is secured to diaphragm 31 and on which is supported a spider member 42. The spider member 42 carries four needle valves 43 adapted to cooperate with openings in the insert. A spring member, 44 holds the needles in place in the spider member and holds the valves closed when the diaphragm is in the normal position. A coil spring` 45 is positioned between the plunger and the base member and tends to hold the valves in an openv position. The spider member 42 includes recesses 42a under the heads of three of the needle valves. The recesses are of different depths so that as the plunger moves the valves will beselectively opened or closed. That is, as the plunger moves to the left to open the valves, iirst the valve having no recesses will be Aopened and the other needle valves will remain closed as the' heads thereof will rest in the recesses. As the plunger and spider member moves farther the' other valves are selectively opened, depending upon the depth of the recesses in the spider member,'until the valves are all opened. Accordingly, it can be seen that fuel is fed tothe various burners through the tubes 46 connecting d withl the openings 40a, depending upon the position of the `diaphragm 31. An additionalopenV ing 35b'is provided in the base member 35 communicating with the fuel chamber to provide a supply of fuel for an igniter -and/or a ypilot burner, through thefuel line 41. This opening is not controlled by the selector valves as the.. igniter and/or pilot burner will be operated at.

al1 times when the heater is operating, andy-ac:

. cordingly;is.not controlled by the :selector and temperature responsive device. The cap member :3.6'of :theselector encloses .a crank 48 .having a -set screw 49 therein whichbears .against a stud 331a ofthe diaphragm 31. The screw 49 is arranged to oppose Vthe action of the spring 44 and `torce the plunger into such a position that the needle valves close the Vfuel lpassages to the burners.

The temperature responsive device iscoupled to theselector unit by'a .threaded pipe 50 having actuating'member 5I positioned in the opening therein and contacting the crank 48 of the selector. The coupling member is threaded into the supporting platej52 which may be a part .of the housing of the .heater as shown in Fig. l. 4The housing 53 .for the-temperature responsive de- Avice issecured Vto the plate member 52 and includes openings 53a therein fork entry of air. The Atemperature responsive Vdevice includes an insulating member 54 having a portion projecting through the housing 53 and secured thereto by thenut 55. The insulating member has a heatingcoil 56 positioned on a portion thereof and supports a cup-shaped member 51 which sur- .rounds the heating coil. The member 51 forms an end of the bellows chamber 60 which is further deflned by the bellows 58 and the end member 59. This chamber `is lled with ethyl-chloride `or other suitable fluid having a high ternperature coeiiicient of ,expansion to cause relative movement betweenthe `end member 5.9 and the xed member 51 as the `temperature of the air surrounding the chamber varies. The member 59fabuts the plate member `6| whichgis connected tothe actuatingshaft 5|. A spider member having portions projecting through openings 53 in the supporting member E2 cooperates with spring 63 and retainer 64 for holding the plate assembly 6| against the end member 59 of the bellows unit. As the uid in the bellows chamber expands, the bottom member will force the plate member El against the tension of the spring E3 causing the actuating member 5I to bear against the crank 48 and close the valves in the selector unit. As is seen from the lforegoing, the valves are normally in an open position and as the air entering the heater comesin contact with the temperature responsive unit the expansion of the fluid in the bellows chamber causes the actuating member to selectively close the valves tothe fuel feed lines of the burners.

.In Fig. .4 is showna modification ofthe fuelfeeding system in which the'temperature responsive unit and selector unit are combined into one unit'having a body `portion 65 ,housing the valve mechanism anda cap portion 66 positioned over thetemperature responsive unit. The cap `portion 66 is adapted tobe positioned in the intake air passage of the heater as previously described. A diaphragm 51 is positioned between the base memberandthe cap member and has supported thereon a plunger 68 carrying a spidermember 69whichsupports aplurality of needle valves i0. The needle valves cooperate with openings in the base member in the `same manner as in the structure of Fig. `2. Instead of providing recesses in the spidermember for the heads of the valves as in Fig. 2,'the needle valves are of different lengths so that as the spider member 69 moves the valves will 'beselectively opened dependingv on the `respective lengths thereof.. Individual springs a are provided bearing on the 'diaphragm structure which tend to hold the `valves ingclosedrsposition. VAsprirrg. 1.2 is provided :about thegplungerf forholding therdiaphragmragainst the bellows unit.

.The temperature responsive bellows .unit.13.is arranged to `bear `directly 4on fthe .diaphragm .6:1 and is identicalin structure to bellows unit .of Fig. `2 :and accordingly, `will notbe v.described in detail. .In Fig. 4 a heatingxunit :1| `.is positioned in .opening BBainxthe capxmember dnsteadfo'f :the `heating coil .'56 positioned onithe insulating member in Fig. 2. In this structure the Vcap member '66 has .openings 56a zand 65h vpositioned therein .to permit air `entering the. heater .to contact-.the temperature responsive unit. Theheating :unit 1| .includes an `.electrical `heating .coil .connected to a source `of-.electrical energy shown ingFig. .2 and .described later. Clearanceiis provided `between the heating unit '1-I 'and the opening GBain `the cap member to .permit the air to pass around .the heatingelement into the space. surrounding .the bellows enclosed tempera.- .ture responsive fluid.

The `liquid fuel chamber 14 inthe base `member or body `portion 65 Vcontains the valves 1d-and is closed on its upper side .by the diaphragm 61, which `forms a fluid-tight seal. Liquid :fuel is admitted to the chamber 14 through the `inlet passage 14a. An 'outlet passage 14h, not controlled by any of `the valves 10, leads to a pilot burner `or the like. Outlet `passages 14lc, with which the needle valves `10 are aligned, communicate with fuel lines 14d leadingrespectivelyto the'mainburners of the heater. The diaphragm '51 and the valves 10 move with the lower end of the bellows 13 in response to temperature changes, and the valves 10 are adapted to open and close `in sequencefas described above in connection with Fig.'2.

Fig. 5 shows still another modification of the fuel-feeding system according to the invention. In this modification aselector is provided which 'includes a body portion 15 and Va cap portion 1.6

with a diaphragm 11 positioned therebetween. .A fuel chamber 18 is formed in the'selectorunit by a recess in the bodyportion 15 and the diaphragm 11. A fuel fitting '19 is provided for connection to a fuel line vand communicates with the chamber 18 througha passage 15a in thebase member. TheV base member includes Vopenings having tubular inserts 8U which communicate with tubularu passages leading`A to `the burners in the multi-burner unit. Instead of needle valves as shownin the previous'modications, Bakelite disc valves are provided forselectively opening and closing the outlets from the fuelchamber-.to the burners. A spider assembly i8! is provided for opening the Bakelite discs 82 of the valves and includes an actuating member Bla which ts under the Bakelite discs to open the valves as the spider "member is moved. The actuating member has recessed 'portions'under the discs of all of the valves except one, the extent of the recess being different in each case `to selectively operate the valves in a manner similarfto the operation of the 'structure of Fig. 2 previously described. Spring members 83 are positioned between the basemember 15 andthe spider member 8! and tend to hold the valves in open position. Springs 84 are positioned between the spider member and the discs 82 and tend to hold the disc against theinserts of the base member or against the actuating `portion Bla of the'spider depending upon the position of the spider member.` A spring 85 bears'against the diaphragmto oppose vthe Vpressure created by the 'fuel 'in the chamber 18. The screw "86is adjustably threaded in the tubular member 81 secured to the cap pordevice which is similar to the temperature responsive device disclosed in previous modifications. This device includes a main supporting member 89 with a cap portion 90 positioned thereon enclosing a temperature responsive bellows unit. l An insulating insert 9| is secured to the top of the cap member 90 by nut 92 as in the structure of Fig. 2. A heating coil 93 is wound around the insulating insert and a cup-shaped member 94 completely encloses the heating coil. The member 94 is secured to the insulating insert 9| and further serves as a fixed end for the bellows chamber. The bellows' 95 and end plate 96 -i complete the chamber which is filled with a iiuid having a high temperature coefficient of expansion. As the temperature of the bellows unit is varied by contact with the incoming air, the fluid therein contracts and expands resulting in movement of the end plate 96.

The movement of the bellows unit is utilized to operate a valve for controlling the flow of fuel to the selector. The valve includes a plunger operating in an opening in base membel` IDI.

4'Ihe'plunger is secured to a diaphragm 98 to which the movement of the bellows member is transmitted through projection 91 on the end plate 95 of the bellows unit and stud 99 on the diaphragm 98. opening llloz` therein for entry of fluid from tube |02 ,leading from the fuel pump. This passage permits entry of the fuel to a chamber |03 which is formed between the diaphragm 98 and the base member |0|, and also through the slot |00a 4in the plunger |00 to a chamber |05 formed between:

the base member |0| and a plate member |04 secured thereto. The fuel from the chamber |05 can 'enter the passage |0|b in the base member to the tube |06 leading to the selector unit Thev end plate |04 supports a tubular member |||1sev cured thereto enclosing the spring |08 which coq-f operates with the plunger |00 to hold the di'aphragm 99 against the bellows unit. An end membef"| 09 is threaded in the tubular member to per.-

mit adjustment of the tension of the spring.

The operation of the structure of Fig. 5 is similar tothe operation of the previous modifications except that the control of the selector by the temperature responsive units is through the pressure of the fuel rather than through a mechanical linkage. In the normal position the fuel is allowed to flow through the valve connected to the temperature responsive unit through tube |06 to the selector causing pressure within the chamber 18, to push the diaphragm 11 against the spring 85 and cause the actuating portion 8|a to lift the disc valves allowing the fuel from the chamber 18 to enter the passages to the burners. As the temperature of the air entering the heater is increased, the uid within the bellows unit expands causing the plunger |00 to move downward so that the `slot 00a registers with only a part of the opening of the passage |0|a and the amount ofV fuel fed to the selector unit is decreased. Ac-

The base member |0| has lan.

cordingly, the pressure in the chamber 18 is decreased and the spring forces against the diaphragm 11 to cause the spider to move toward the base member and the springs 84 to hold the disc valves over the inserts and cut off the supply of gas to the burners. A separate pressure regulator unit is not required in this modification of the invention as the temperature controlled valve provides a complete control of the flow of fuel to the selector. If the iiow is increased due to increased pressure of fuel from the pump, additional valves in the selector will open causing more heat which will cause the temperature responsive element to close the valve.

In the structure shown, it will be noted that a very small movement of the selector diaphragm will cause the valves to be selectively opened or closed. By altering the depth of the recesses in the spider members of Figs. 2 and 5 or by altering the difference in length of the needle valves in Fig. 4, the movement of the diaphragm required to operate the valves can be changed. Also by varying the dimensions of the bellows chamber the amount of movement which will be provided by a given temperature change, can be fixed to provide the movement required to actuate the valves.

Now the operation of the temperature responsive bellows and the electrical heating unit associated therewith, will be explained. The electrical heating coil 56 of Fig. 2 has leads a and b which provide power thereto from battery c through switch contact d and resistor e'.4 Although a battery is disclosed as the source of power any suitable source of electrical energy may be used. When the switch contact is made at the point marked 15 the circuit will be open and no heat will be produced by the heating unit. When the heating unit is in such inoperative con.. ditionY the bellows unit is adapted to control the heater to provide a temperature of '15 degrees for example. The bellows unit in such case is designed to respond to the temperature range of from 73 to '1'1 degrees. That is, if the temperature of the incoming air is '17 degrees the valves to all the burners except the pilot burner will be closed, and when the temperature drops to '13 degrees the valves to all will be opened to increase the output of the heater. At intermediate temperatures a part of the valves will be open. If in colder weather it is desired that thetemperature of the automobile or other space being heated be raised to only 65 degrees for example, this can be done by providing heat in the Vicinity of the temperature responsive means. This is accomplished by placing the switch contact at the point marked 65 for example, which will cause current to flow through the heating coil. 'The heat provided by the electrical heating element will supplement the heat provided bythe air to provide the same amount of heat exchanged through the bellows as though the air itself was 75 degrees instead of 65 degrees.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the coil 1| would be connected in the same manner `as the coil 56 of Fig. 2. The air entering the temperature responsive unit is in this structure actually heated by the electrical heating coil 1| thus by raising the temperature of the air l0 degrees the unit is responsive to a temperature range of from 63 to 67 degrees instead of '13 to 77 degrees. Accordingly, by moving the switch contact to the points marked 55 or 50 and thus reducing the resistance in the circuit, more heat is provided .by the heating element and the range 9. of the: device* 1s lowered still further. By the use of a continuously var-iable resistance in series with the heating element it is possible to make the device operative to automatically provide any temperature'desired in the space to be heated over a very wide range of temperatures.

It is pointed out that the various valve structures'shown in the selector units of Figs.` 2, 4 and 5 are completely interchangeable and any one can be used. The various illustrations are presented to indicate that any suitable valve structure which is-` available can be used within the province of my invention. Also the modifications of the electrical heating unit for the temperature responsive element are completely interchangeable and the modification most desirable in aparticular application can be used.

From the foregoing it is seen that an automatic device is provided for selectively providing fuel to the burners of amultiple burner heater to automatically-provide thef temperature desired in" the space being heatedl The device issimple of" constructionand is-very small permitting its use in portable and-automobile' heaters where a small amount of spaceis available;

Although theinvention has been described with reference to specific structures and specific combinations of units, itis apparent that other combinations of theunits andfmodications and variations ofthe units themselves are possible and are within the-scope of ftliis invention. Accordingly, it'is intended that the invention be limited* onlytovthe extentn defined by the scope of the `appended claims;

I'claim:

l. In an'y internal combustion heatingsystem having a housing with openings for air to be heated and for discharge of heated air, a combustion chamber and a plurality of burner units operatively connected to said combustion chamber; a selector unit for feeding fuel to said plurality of burners having a fuel chamber therein, means for feeding fuel under pressure to said selector chamber including main valve for controlling the pressure of the fuel in said selector chamber, means forming a plurality of passages individually connecting said fuel chamber and said burners for feeding fuel thereto, a plurality of valves individually associated with said passages, and means in said fuel chamber movable in accordance with the pressure therein and connected to said valves for operating the same, said last-named means being movable to a rst position in which said valves are all closed to other positions in which said valves are selectively opened to provide fuel to one or more of said burners, said main valve including temperature responsive means located in` said housing adjacent said openings for air to be heated, automatically operating the same in response to the temperature of the air entering the heater.

2. In an internal combustion heating system having a housing with openings for intake of air to be heated and for discharge of heated air, a combustion chamber, and a plurality of burner units operatively connected to said combustion chamber; a selector unit for feeding fuel to said plurality of burners having a fuel chambei' therein, a plurality of passages from said fuel chamber to said burners for feeding fuel thereto, a plurality of valves in said passages adapted to open in selected numbers in accordance with the pressure in said fuel chamber to provide fuel to one or more of said burners,`

means for supplying fuel to said fuel chamber including a mainV valvefor controlling the pressure of the fuel in saidfuel chamber, and atem perature i responsive unit positioned in thev intake air opening of said heater for actuating said main valve, an electrical heating element operatively associated with said temperature responsive unit, and means for providing a varying amount of' electrical' energy to said heating element, said temperature responsive unit being adapted to operate said main valve to control the pressure ofthe fuel in said fuel chamber in accordancewithV the temperature of the intake air andthe temperature of said electrical heating element.

3. A temperature-responsive fuel metering device fora combustion type air heater adapted to utilize liquid fuel, such device comprising means defining a chamber for liquid fuel including a flexible diaphragm as aV wall of the chamber, said 'chamber having a plurality of outlet passages communicating with the heater for supplying fuel thereto, valve means in said chamberoperated by said diaphragm and adapted to open andclose said outlet passages in selected numbers depending upon the position of said diaphragm', an expansible thermal element outside ofsaid chamber to control the position of said diaphragm in accordance with the temperature of the incoming air to be heated, an enclosure surrounding said thermal element and having openings of limited size therein to restrict the flow of air contacting said thermal element, an electric heating element positioned in proximity to said element, adjustable resistance means selectively controlling the energization of said heating element, and motiontransmitting means for causing said diaphragm to follow` the expansions and contractions of said thermal element.

4. A temperature-responsive fuel metering device for a combustion type air heater adapted to utilize liquid fuel, such device comprising means defining a chamber for liquid fuel including a diaphragm forming a wall of the chamber, said chamber having a plurality of outlet passages communicating with the heater for supplying fuel thereto, a plurality of valves in said chamber respectively cooperating With said outlet passages, a common actuating element for said valves connected to said diaphragm for movement therewith, means yieldably retaining said valves on said actuating element, said valves being arranged to open and close said outlet passages in predetermined sequence as said diaphragm moves between the limits of its travel, a bellows unit disposed on the outer side of said diaphragm and having a movable portion connected to said diaphragm, said bellows unit being lled with a fluid having a high thermal coefficient of expansion and contraction, an enclosure surrounding said bellows unit, said enclosure having openings therein for admitting a restricted flow of air from the space heated by said heater, and an electrical resistance element disposed in one of said openings for modifying the temperature of the air passing into said enclosure.

5. A liquid fuel heater of the type for use in automobiles and small home installations including in combination a compact housing with openings therein for intake of the air to be heated and discharge of air after heating, a combustion chamber in said housing, a plurality of burners cooperating with said combustion charnber, means for selectively supplying liquid fuel under pressure to said burners in accordance 1l with the heat output required of said heater,

, said last mentioned means including means having a closed chamber therein, a plurality of fuel outlet passages connecting said chamber to said burners, a flexible diaphragm defining one Wall of said chamber, and a plurality of valves secured to said diaphragm and cooperating with said outlet passages to sequentially close the same upon flexure of said diaphragm, and means for controlling the flexure of said diaphragm in accordance with the temperature of the heated space including a temperature responsive device operatively connected to said diaphragm, and a variable heat-generating element disposed adjacent said temperature responsive device to control the operation of the same, said temperature responsive device being actuable in accordance with the temperature of the intake air entering the heater and the temperature of said element.

6. A liquid fuel heater of the type for use in automobiles and small home installations including in combination .a compact housing with openings therein for intake of the air to be heated and discharge of the air after heating, a combustion chamber in -said housing, a plurality of burners cooperating with said combustion chamber, means for selectively supplying liquid fuel under pressure to said burners in accord ance with the heat output required of said heater, said last mentioned means including means having a closed chamber therein, a plurality of fuel outlet passages connecting said chamber to said burners, a control lmember movably mounted within said chamber and including a portion extending through a wall of said chamber, and a plurality of valve means secured to said member and cooperating with said outlet passages to sequentially close the same upon movement of said member, and means for controlling the 12 movement of said member in accordance `with the temperature of the intake air entering the housing including a temperature responsive device operatively connected to said portion of said control member, and a variable heat-generating element disposed adjacent said temperature responsive device to control the operation of the same, said temperature responsive device being aotuable in accordance with the temperature of the intake air entering the housing and the temperature of said variable heat generating element. l

STANLEY J. BUDLANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the' file of this patent:

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